


office romance

by mvrcredi



Series: cap-iron bingo fills [16]
Category: Marvel 616, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Office, Bets & Wagers, Bisexual Steve Rogers, Dating, Established Relationship, M/M, Married Couple, POV Outsider, Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Secret Marriage, Secret Relationship, Stony Bingo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-13
Updated: 2019-04-13
Packaged: 2020-01-12 12:57:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,113
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18447047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mvrcredi/pseuds/mvrcredi
Summary: Steve is in a relationship, but with whom?With the mystery surrounding this new partner, an office bet arises.





	office romance

**Author's Note:**

> fill for my 'secret relationship' bingo square.

“So what’s new with you, Rogers?”

What Steve wants to say is _“Absolutely nothing. You ask me this every day, and nothing changes. I don’t even understand why you ask me this every day. You know the answer. So what answer are you looking for?”_

But instead, Steve sighs, saving his work before turning to his colleague. “Nothing, Nat. Nothing is new. I tried a new recipe last night for dinner, I don’t know,” he deadpans. “What’s new with _you_?”

Natasha shrugs. “Not much. However, I do actually believe there’s something new with you.”

“And what would that be?” Steve both looks and sounds unimpressed. He puts his elbows on his desk, chin resting in his palms as he looks up at his co-worker.

Natasha hums, smiling slyly. “You, my friend, are in a relationship.”

Steve’s eyes widen for a millisecond before taming his expression, clearing his throat. _How’d she find out about that?_ He leans back on his chair, dropping his arms from the desktop.

“What proof do you have then? Do enlighten me,” Steve tries to cover the surprise in his voice, as well as the defensiveness. As great a friend she was, Steve didn’t exactly want her to know about his new relationship. Especially not _who_ he was in a new relationship with.

“Well,” Natasha faux-ponders, seating herself on Steve’s desk, “for starters... you came in to work rather late today. That has _never_ happened before, as long as I’ve been here. You also seemed a little dopey this morning—happy, that is. Plus, the new recipe thing—that was for a date, wasn’t it? I know you don’t do new recipes unless it’s for an occasion, and I definitely don’t recall any occasions, so thanks for that one. Anything else? You’re a good read, Rogers.”

Steve bats his eyelashes at Natasha. “Sometimes I think you’re here just to spy on me rather than do the job I thought you were hired for.”

“Ha ha, very funny,” Natasha rolls her eyes. “So is it true? Am I right, or...?”

Steve huffs. “Yeah, you are. It is true. _The_ Steve Rogers is in a relationship. You got a problem with it?”

Natasha shakes her head. “No, not at all. Just curious as to who it is...?”

“Nope, sorry. Your time’s been spent. Quarter’s been devoured. Try again later. Get back to work or something,” Steve waves a hand.

“Work for what job? Graphic design or spying?”

“Just get out of my office, alright?”

“Sure thing, boss,” Natasha laughs before getting off Steve’s desk and leaving the room. What would it take to get a lock installed on his damn office door? _Actually, not much considering who I’m f—_

The phone on his desk starts ringing, snapping Steve from his thoughts. He picks it up, “Hello?”

 _“Steve, hey,”_ through the phone comes Clint’s voice. _“Big, bad boss man is here to see ya. Just a heads up.”_

“I... thanks? You never call me, why are you calling me?” Steve peers out the door to see Clint watching the elevator door from his desk while on his own phone, twirling the spiralling phone cord with his free hand.

Clint shrugs. _“I dunno. Making sure you were decent. Natasha says you’re seeing someone.”_

Steve grunts. “She was literally _just_ in my office. There’s no one here but me. You guys are all awful. While Stark’s here I should see about getting you a demotion.”

_“Hey! Natasha’s the one that deserves the demotion! She’s the one snooping through your personal life after all.”_

“I—yeah, I’m done with this. Thank you, Clint,” Steve sighs, hanging up the phone just as his boss walks in. Well, boss and—

“Hi Rogers,” Tony greets, stepping inside the office. He shuts the door behind him, flicking the blinds shut.

“Ah. My third nuisance of the morning,” Steve responds.

“Nuisance?” Tony scoffs. “I’m a blessing. How’s my favourite head of graphic design?”

 

-=-

 

Clint sways in Natasha’s chair as she types away on her phone. Bucky sits on her desk, sipping on his coffee. Sam taps his foot, arms crossed over his chest, and Carol flings elastics off Natasha’s desk haphazardly into the office.

Sam clears his throat. “Mind telling us why we were called over or can I go back to work?”

Clint scrunches his nose. “Why would you willing want to go back to work? And besides, we called you over because Tasha’s setting up a betting pool.”

“Why is Nat setting up a betting pool? Who said we agreed to it?” Bucky questions.

Clint shrugs. “Well, it involves Steve...”

Bucky pauses. “Continue,” he finally says into the mug before tossing back his head to get the dregs of his caffeine source from the bottom of his cup.

Carol lets loose another elastic. “What about him?”

Natasha shuts her phone off. “He’s dating someone, but we don’t know who. We are all betting on who it is.”

“Uh huh,” Sam nods. “How much are we betting? And what happens if we’re all wrong? Or have the same person?”

Natasha grins, rubbing her hands together. “Glad you asked, Sam! That’s why there’s rules. No one can bet on the same person, and if we all lose it’s just a refund. You keep your money. How much does everyone want to bet?”

Bucky taps his fingers on his mug. “Fifteen?”

Everyone thinks over the suggestion before nodding in agreement.

Natasha claps her hands together. “Fifteen it is! So who’s everyone betting on?”

Bucky chews his bottom lip. “Hm. I say... the receptionist.”

Clint furrow his eyebrows, contorting his face. _“Arbogast?”_

“No, you dipshit,” Bucky sneers. “Carter. Peggy. They’ve been good friends for a while. They’re both attractive, both smart, both headstrong. They’re meant for each other.”

Sam shakes his head. “No, I think you got the wrong Carter. I’m pretty sure it’s her cousin, Sharon, in HR. She’s been all over Steve as of late. She’s pretty too. She’s nice, Steve seems to like her. Why not?” he shrugs.

“Fair enough,” Natasha says, “but _I_ think it’s that waitress from the café we always go to. I can’t remember her name for the life of me, but have you ever noticed how often she slips him something extra? Or says, “it’s on the house?” Or how about that one time she gave him her number on a napkin and we caught them texting a few days later?”

“Well shit,” Clint curses. “Wish I had thought of that one. I was gonna go with Gail Runciter. R&D? I swear she has the most heart-eyes for him than anyone of those other gals. Maybe Steve finally noticed. What do you think, Carol?”

Carol looks impassive. “I think it’s Stark,” she says without missing a beat.

Everyone turns to face her with matching skeptical expressions. She glances around at their identical reactions. “What?”

Carol shakes her head when no one responds. “Whatever. That’s who I’m betting on. See you losers later,” she says before heading off towards her own desk. Everyone scatters soon after their bets are finalized.

 

-=-

 

Much to everyone’s dismay, Steve was really skilled in hiding who he was seeing. If it hadn’t been for the note on Natasha’s phone, everyone would have likely forgotten the bet. That was, until about a year-and-a-half later when Steve showed up to work with a shiny new ring on his finger.

“How was the wedding?”

“Good morning to you too, Buck,” Steve sighs. “And there was no wedding. It’s an engagement ring. I’m not married yet.”

“Huh. I woulda thought you’d be the one to propose.”

Steve looks at Bucky with a puzzled expression. “Why is that?”

Bucky shrugs. “Don’t know. Something about social norms.”

“Social norms...?” Steve furrows his brow. “What social norms? I’m pretty sure my fiancé and I already aren’t a social norm if I get what you’re implying.”

Bucky crosses his arms. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Mild confusion passes over Steve’s face before settling on realization—no one even had a clue as to whether it had been a boyfriend or girlfriend before fiancé or fiancée. He had never noticed.

Steve smiles innocently. “I don’t know. That’s a good question, Bucky. How would you define social norms?”

Bucky frowns. “You’re an ass, Rogers.”

“Have a great one too,” Steve winks. “Talk to you later!”

Bucky grunts before slinking over to his desk, slumping into his chair in defeat. He hears Sam snicker at him from behind his computer. Bucky leans around his own computer to glare at him. “What’s so funny, Wilson?”

“Hm?” Sam raises his eyebrows. “Nothing. Nothing’s funny. Just amusing how that was turned on you. What _do_ you think he meant?”

“I have no idea,” Bucky admits. “But I think he’s hiding something other than who he’s engaged to.”

“Like what?” Sam asks.

“Like his sexuality,” Carol interjects from behind Sam. “Not that it’s any of our business. But that would make sense, wouldn’t it? “My fiancé and I already aren’t a social norm?” Hm?”

“You’re just saying that because you want to win the bet,” Bucky huffs.

“Am I though?” She tilts her head, placing her hands on her hips. “Hey Rogers!”

A loud “What?!” is shouted from his office.

“C’mere! I have a question for you!” Carol calls.

There is no second reply, but within seconds Steve is stalking over to the three, appearing undeniably unimpressed. He stops behind Bucky’s desk, looking across to Carol. “What is so important that I needed to be asked back over here and not, say, over the phone?”

“What’s your preference?”

“In... what?”

“People. Who are you looking at?”

Steve shifts to a slightly defensive stance, though it was barely noticeable. “Why should I answer that? My preferences don’t concern you, or anyone for that matter.”

Carol shrugs. “You don’t actually have to answer if you want. We won’t judge you regardless. I just wanted to prove a point to these bozos.”

Steve raises an eyebrow. “What point exactly?”

“That you aren’t straight.”

“Huh,” Steve nods. He chews his lip, moving to shove his hands in his pockets. Steve glances between Sam, Bucky, and Carol, thinking over his next move. “Well. Because I like Carol the most right now, I’m taking her side. I’m not straight, you’re right. But what does that have anything to do with any sort of conversation?”

Everyone freezes like a deer in headlights, or a child with their hand in the cookie jar. This immediately makes Steve suspicious of... well. Something. Something he probably won’t like if they admit to it. Emphasis on the ‘if.’ Unfortunately for his good morals, Steve couldn’t try the “I’m your boss” card. They would all call him out on his bullshit anyway.

“Nothing, nothing,” Sam tries coolly, but still seeming nervous. “It’s definitely nothing about a b—“

Carol elbows him, gritting her teeth in an obviously fake smile. Steve shakes his head before walking back to his office and shutting the door. Carol, Sam, and Bucky all let out a sigh of relief when he’s out of earshot, before Bucky and Carol are quick to scold Sam for almost revealing the bet they had on who Steve’s partner was.

 

-=-

 

Another six months passes and _still_ no one in the office had gotten any closer to figuring out who Steve was in a relationship with—and now married to. It was now a month after Steve had announced, “Yes, I am now married. No, I will not tell you to _whom_ I am married,” before locking himself in his office for the day.

It was a normal day for the department. No one had expected to be finally ending the bet.

“Look, Carol’s guess is here. But where, oh _where_ is Steve?” Clint plops down into his chair, spotting Tony in Steve’s office. He sits in wait—presumably for Steve.

Just then does Steve come rushing through the elevator doors, making a beeline for his office. Tony stands from the chair he’d been waiting on to greet Steve at the door.

The sounds of the office were too loud for anyone far away to catch the, “Sorry I’m late, hon,” from Steve, but that didn’t mean anyone missed the brief kiss they shared right afterwards. Several eyebrows raised seconds later as Steve pulled Tony into his office.

Right before the door shuts, they all hear from Tony, “We literally left the house together!”

“Wow,” Clint finally says. “Carol was right.”

The aforementioned scoffs. “Unsurprisingly. I expect you all to pay up by lunch.”

A few grumbles are exchanged among the losing bettors. Carol wears a triumphant smirk.

“I just can’t believe _our_ boss is married to _the_ boss.”

 

**Author's Note:**

> i really enjoyed writing this for whatever reason. i don't usually write from an outsider perspective??
> 
>  
> 
> ~~so, on that note, please tell me if you'd like to see it from steve and tony's perspective!!~~  
>  **steve and tony's perspective can be found[here](https://archiveofourown.org/works/19144117).**
> 
>  
> 
> comments and kudos are greatly appreciated <3


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